As we continue the journey through Lent to the awesome glory of the Resurrection, the Church gives us this story of how Jesus opens the eyes of the man born blind! It is another moving example of how a person comes to the progressive and careful realization that Jesus is the Messiah.

Jesus’ only desire is our full restoration. Jesus instructs the man born blind to wash in the Pool of Siloam, which was a freshwater reservoir in Jerusalem.

The Pool of Siloam is believed to be fed by the fresh waters from the Gihon Spring. The spring is located in the Kidron Valley. The Gihon Spring is significant. It was one of the water sources in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:13). King Solomon washed his anointing oil in the Gihon Spring after his coronation (1 Kings 1:33).

Jesus invited the blind man to wash his eyes in the fresh waters that flowed from Eden’s Garden, and through his obedience, he was given his sight! This invitation was a way of saying, “Be made whole. Be who you were before the fall.” Furthermore, washing in the same pool where Solomon washed the anointed oil is symbolic. It is as if Jesus tells the blind man, “Recognize that I have made you for myself. I have crowned you prince for my kingdom.”

The man born blind teaches us that the journey to faith has many layers. The blind man recognized Jesus gradually. He recognized Jesus as a man. In later deliberations with the Pharisees, he recognized Jesus as a prophet. He only came to know Jesus as Lord when he stood before Him in an intimate conversation.

Friends, we are on our way to meet Christ, Crucified and Risen, at Easter. We are not journeying alone. We journey with the Elect, preparing for Easter Sacraments. We join them with our prayers. We pray that the same Jesus who gave sight to the man born blind will open our eyes of faith. We too will profess him as Lord. He has invited us to bathe in the fresh waters, not of Siloam, but in his crucified side.

Here’s the question we are invited to consider this weekend:

Knowing Jesus offers healing through Eucharist and sacraments, do we have the courage to abandon the broken habits holding us back and step into the light of His love? Lead me to you, Jesus.